Title: The Power Of Sharing / Topic: Body Life

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18; 2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5

Scripture: James 5:13-16
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Observation: This is all about sharing whatever is going on in our lives with others in the church. This sharing enables others to be involved in both the good times and the bad times. In the good times, we can be encouraged and encouraging to one another and prompt each other to be thankful for God's blessings. In the bad times, we can encourage and be encouraging to one another and prompt each other to be faithful to pray and trust in God for His provision or deliverance. And great ministry comes from the others who pray for me, whether it be the elders of the church or an ordinary sister or brother who is able to help me through prayer and a good word.

Application: As a pastor, I am so sad to see people isolate themselves and close themselves off from others. Many people are ashamed or embarrassed to share what is really going on in their lives with a brother or sister.
Of course, the root of these kinds of feelings is pride. This pride is deadly because the person who isolates himself is easy prey for the enemy. And like a straying sheep, the isolated Christian is often attacked and even defeated by our enemy.
The solution is simple. Stay in the center of the fellowship and open your life so others can see. Share what's going on so others can give you input, point out dangers you may have missed, and assist you when you need help.

And notice all the kinds of help listed in these verses:
verss 13: instruction to pray when you're in trouble and to sing when happy;
verse 14: instruction for what to do when you are sick with specific details about who, what, and how to pray;
verse 15: a special note regarding sin-related sickness;
verse 16: instruction for accountability and openness regarding personal sin and receiving prayer; and an encouraging word affirming the power of intercessory prayer.

All this is available as we plug our lives fully into the body life of our church family.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You have placed us in a vibrant and healing organism called the church. I thank You that in our church family You have instilled gifts and blessings that we can give and receive and which build us up and grow us closer. Help Your people to truly enter into the kind of deep sharing that enables the full flow of Your life to have its full effect in blessing us and healing us.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.